Turning The Page- Sophomore Year
by Anonymous385611
Summary: (Donald's Path) Gardenia Absynthia- student at Iris Academy of Magic. Her freshman year at this school is over, and it is time to return home for the summer. But it seems her real home lies back at the school, and sophomore year is too far off for her liking. From a vindictive adopted brother to physical abuse, Gardenia must find a way to cope- but she does have one certainty.
1. Chapter 1- Last Goodbyes

Chapter One- Last Goodbyes

I looked around my room. Well, really, it wasn't technically my room alone. I shared it with my two roommates, Ellen and Virginia….At least, I did. However, today was my very last at Iris Academy of Magic…I would miss it dearly.

With a sigh, I stuffed the last remaining clothes into my suitcase. I double-checked the rest of the area, making sure I wasn't forgetting anything in my haste. My parents were probably already outside and waiting for me. My eyes settle on a small picture frame. I picked it up gingerly. Encased in its pearly white exterior was my May Day Ball photo with Donald.

I smiled. We each had one developed and placed in a special picture frame distributed by the school. In the picture, we grinned at the camera in a somewhat goofy pose. He looked as if he was about to pick me up and carry me bridal style, which, if I can remember correctly, he was. The camera man had caught us at just the right moment, and I smiled sheepishly while Donald sported his usual mischievous smirk.

A smirk I had already come to miss.

I gulped, and placed it in a small outside pocket of my suitcase, deciding to save my tears for the long car ride home.

I left the empty room (Ellen was already outside with Virginia, as she was going to her house for the summer), and walked through the unusually silent hallways. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I reached the exit leading out of the building and walked out into the broad courtyard.

Several cars were at the gates, including my parents'. I hurried over to them, and noticed that Virginia's brother, William, was chatting nonchalantly with my father. Donald was nowhere in sight, but as soon as I reached the two cars, Virginia glomped me, causing me to drop my suitcases. Ellen watched with a nervous smile.

"I'm gonna miss you, loser," Virginia teased, hugging me tightly. "Even though you're dating my brother."

I smiled. "You're not gonna let that go, are you?" I joked back. She shook her head against my shoulder, and I laughed.

Finally she detached herself from me, and I leaned forward to give Ellen a quick hug goodbye as well. "I'm going to miss you guys so much," I said, wiping my moist eyes with the back of my hand. "It's gonna be so weird, not seeing you at all over the summer.."

I stared at them both with a sad smile, and after a few moments, Ellen was tearing up on my shoulder, and even Virginia seemed to be fighting back tears.

"Okay, enough of being sad, guys, we'll you in a few months, okay Gardenia? Right?" She beamed.

"Yeah," I said, "Of course."

Only slightly joking, Ellen kidded, "Promise?"

I chuckled. "Promise."

Suddenly, I felt warm arms grip my waist from behind, and my face flushed. I glanced over at my parents, who were both distracted still by William.

"Hey, Gardenia. Can I talk to you?" I turned around to face Donald and smiled nervously up at him.

"Yeah," I replied. He held out his arm for me to take, and we set out for a walk through the woods. We walked in silence for a minute or two, taking in the pleasant scenery, until he finally spoke up.

"I'm really going to miss you this summer," he told me, his voice softer than I've heard before. I let a few quiet moments pass before responding.

"Me too," I whispered, pressing closer. "It's not going to be the same without you," I admitted. I know for a fact neither of us were used to being so….vulnerable with somebody. I never had siblings to talk to, and he had siblings who never talked to him. "I'll write to you, okay?" I promised.

He grinned, then reached a hand up to playfully poke me in the cheek. "I'd like that."

I fake pouted at him before giggling a little. We stopped walking, and with a sigh, he said, "I guess we should probably head back to our families." I nodded. I didn't want to start crying all over him, and I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything.

He led me back to the courtyard, where our respective parents were waiting for us. He walked me up to my car, and my mother and father watched us curiously. He opened the door for me, and as I was about to sit down, he gently turned me around to face him, a small smirk on his face.

That same smirk I already missed.

He tipped my chin up with his hand and leaned down to gently kiss me on the lips. It was softer than the last time we kissed; a parting gesture. After a moment too soon, we separated, and he blushed.

I knew my face was red too, and once again, we were both grinning like idiots. "I'll miss you, turniphead," I joked, lightly smacking his shoulder.

He laughed. "Goodbye, Gardenia."

"Goodbye," I whispered fondly, watching as he turned and walked away before I settled down into my car.


	2. Chapter 2- Departure

Chapter Two- Departure

Only after a few minutes on the road, my parents started pressing me with questions. It was somewhat annoying, considering I just wanted peace and silence and time to think back on my year in reflection.

I answered halfheartedly, semi-avoiding their pestering about Donald, saying he was my date to the prom and a good friend. I didn't elaborate. They didn't bug me anymore. I think they seemed to realize I didn't want to talk about it.

They asked the normal, routine questions about school as well, and whether I would miss it. I answered truthfully, although I faced the same difficulties having to change bits of information and leaving out anything that sounded suspiciously magical.

I found my phone sitting on the seat beside me, the place I last left it after Spring break. Technology wasn't allowed at Iris Academy; this included cell phones. I plugged in my head phones, slipped the buds into my ears, and started listening to music.

The car ride there was at least two hours, but probably closer to three. Throughout the whole trip, I looked back over my memories. I thought about my first, brief meeting with Donald, and the first (but not last) detention we had together. I remembered sending him away with a box of horse poop meant for Virginia, only to have him return the next day for a merit-earning opportunity.

I thought about the time we went to the mall and he almost asked me something but then changed his mind. I wondered briefly if he had intended to ask me out then, and smiled to myself and recalled our first real date, and our first real kiss.

I thought about the time he almost got expelled for something he didn't do and I was so scared I would lose him- the boy who had come to be my best friend, and more.

I thought about the zombie snowman we built one cold, December night before Christmas vacation, and about how he spilled everything to me. I thought about his performance in the school's musical. I let a few tears slip out and realized just how badly I would miss him over these next couple of months.

I found it funny to think about how normal teens, in normal schools, looked forward to their summer vacation and a chance to get out of school for as long as they possibly could. I found it ironic that for me, it was the exact opposite. Then again, my definition of home had become less and less my house, and more and more my school.

I pulled out my folded up yearbook page from my pocket and looked over it fondly, then mentally decided I would need to get it framed and bring it back with me when I returned the next year as a sophomore.

I fell asleep somewhere along the way, and awakened only as our four-seater dodge truck bumped and skidded over the dirt path of my driveway.

One thing was for sure; I was a country girl at heart. We didn't exactly live on a ranch or a farm, but we owned a few horses and some chickens. Our property wasn't exactly small either.

My parents helped me carry my suitcases into the house as we made awkward chit-chat. I watched them leave my bedroom before beginning to pull stuff out and put it away. I figured I had plenty of time later to do nothing, and I might as well get it over with.

Just as I finished unpacking my things, there was a few raps on my bedroom door. With a sigh, I approached it and firmly twisted the door knob to pull it open.

When I saw the person standing outside it, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

It was a boy I had never seen before in my life. He had wavy blonde hair smoothed back over his head, gleaming hazel eyes, and tanned skin. I stared back at him warily, and he smiled somewhat nervously.

After a few moments of awkward silence, he extended his hand to me slowly, and I glanced in between his outstretched hand and his face, but didn't accept the gesture. He frowned when he realized I wasn't going to shake it, and let his arm fall limply to his side. "Uh, I…"

"Who the hell are you?" I suddenly snapped. "And what are you doing in my house?!"

He flinched, and as if on cue, my parents appeared from around the bend, as if they had just happened to be coming up the stairs when they heard me, but I knew by their actions, they had simply been there, waiting.

"Mom? Dad?" I questioned, looking at them confusedly, "Who is this?"

My mom was hesitant, but she eventually spoke up. "Gardenia…this is Sam. He..he's your new brother."

My jaw literally dropped. "What?!" This guy was at least sixteen! They couldn't have had another kid! I was gone for nine months, not seventeen years!

My Dad cleared his throat when he saw my befuddled expression. "Uhm, sweetie….well, you see, your mother," my mom glared at him, "Er, your mother and I…we were lonely around here." He brought my mom closer to him and placed his hands on her shoulders almost protectively, as if he thought I would explode. My stomach dropped. "We decided to…adopt. Sam..well, he needed a new home, and….we took him into ours. It was an open adoption from an agency…"

I stared blankly at the three of them, as it took a minute to process this information. Finally, I was able to speak, if you could call it speaking. "Wha-I-But…you…he…blu…huh….WHAT?!"

I couldn't hide the pained expression on my face and I noticed my "brother" visibly tense up. I felt a sharp kick in my gut. Not a literal kick, but it definitely felt like one. I gulped and looked down at the floor before saying quietly, "So you just went and got a new kid, without even talking to me about it? I mean," I shook my head, not being able to form real sentences after that. So, I just choked out, "I need some time to think about this."

I brushed past them and walked quickly through the hall, down the stairs, and outside. Before I knew where I was going, I found my footsteps leading me to the stables. I approached my beautiful palomino horse, Ash, and lovingly stroked her mane. "Hey baby," I murmured, still feeling shaken up by the day's events so far.

I saddled her up and bridled her, and took her out to the pasture. I pulled myself onto her back and slipped my feet into the stirrups before taking hold of her reins and steering her towards the gates.

Soon, I found myself trotting through my favorite wooded trail, a whirlwind of thoughts whirling around in my brain. More than anything, I wanted Donald to be here. Surely he would understand. I don't know about Virginia, but Ellen probably would too…

I sighed. This was going to be a long summer.


	3. Chapter 3- Letters

Chapter Three- Letters

_Dear Gardenia,_

_ Since I can't see you here in person, I figured I would settle for the next best thing. Writing. I have to say, though, I'm sure sometime during the summer I'll probably pester Urchin about inviting you out here. You see, I would myself, but I doubt my parents would agree…especially with their misconceptions of my reputation._

I smiled to myself.

_I'll be stocking the pirate ship for the two of us regardless. I don't really know what to say, as I've only ever written to my parents, and that was only once (they never responded). I know that this will be much more worthwhile than that. How have you been lately? Are you getting on fine with your parents? Do you still want my siblings? Trust me, I'll be glad to give them to you. Anyway, write back to me as soon as you can. I'm sure you're doing some more interesting things than me (unless you've managed to find something even more boring than sitting around being ignored. If that's the case, I'm sorry. I really am)._

_Sincerely,  
Turnip (Donald)  
P.S. Where did that nickname come from anyway? _

I finished reading over his letter and took out a piece of parchment for myself, contemplating on what I should write and the events of summer so far.

It had only been a week since I had gotten home. I was still trying to adjust to Sam's presence. I definitely wasn't ready to call him my brother, or even a friend. Lately, things had been somewhat distressing. I sighed, and pulled out my pen to begin writing my response.

_Dear Donald (Turniphead),_

_ My summer has definitely been interesting. Whether it's a good kind of interesting, though, I'm not so sure of. How have you been getting on with William? I know at the end of the year you two were beginning to get on better terms with each other. Is that still coming along? I'm sure with some time, you two will get closer. You are brothers, after all. Speaking of brothers….Well, it looks like you won't be needing to loan me yours. It seems that while I was away, my parents decided I should have one. Or, more like it, they should have a child. They adopted some guy named Sam, and he's sixteen years old, the same age as you and me. He seems nice enough, I guess….but, things at home are getting even worse than they already were. Me and my parents were already distant before, with my magical situation and all. But now, with Sam here, it's like I don't even exist! I understand what you've been trying to tell me all along. I've barely talked to them at all, and it seems like everything has been revolving around Sam. I don't want to sound jealous or whiny, but I was sure you would understand. So far, I've pretty much been by myself, excluding my horses. I know, ironic, right? It's no wonder I'm in 'horse' hall. Well, considering everything, it hasn't been too bad. I just don't get the feeling it's going to get much better though. Write back when you can. I miss your silliness already._

_ With hugs and care, _

_ Gardenia_

_ P.S. I don't know. It just seemed fitting, I guess._

I folded up my letter and slid it into an empty envelope. I willed my energy into casting a combination of green and black magic which would allow my letter to carry along the wind to Donald's house. He had also enclosed the way to do so with his letter, as that is how he was able to get it to me so quickly and without having to get it through post.

I sat at my windowsill and sealed the envelope with magic before setting it free to ride with the currents of air. I smiled as it drifted away on the breeze and closed up my window. With reluctance, I stood up and decided to head downstairs for breakfast.

Down in the dining room, my parents and Sam were already sitting at the table, eating. I looked for my place setting, but there was none. I felt a sharp sting. This was a first. I looked questioningly at the three of them, but my parents didn't seem to notice my presence. Sam just glanced at me uncomfortably.

I coughed, hoping to get their attention, but still, neither my Mom nor Dad looked up at me. "Uhm?" I was getting more and more agitated with each passing second. The tempting aroma of bacon and eggs wafted up into my nostrils and beckoned my stomach. As if on cue, I felt it rumble.

Finally, they seemed to notice. "Oh, good morning, dear," my Mom said hesitantly, giving me a weird look. Did I do something wrong? I approached the table and everyone immediately grew quiet. Okay, what the heck was going on here?

My dad scratched his head and met my eyes, looking almost…..scared?! Okay, this was getting too weird…They were treating me like I had caught some contagious disease.

"What's going on?" I questioned. Everyone flinched. I sighed.

"Why don't you go into town and catch a bite to eat, hun? You haven't taken your car out for a spin yet," my Dad suggested. Okay, he had a point. I was certainly missing the smooth red leather of my 1963 Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet…(I'm a fan of the classics), but it still seemed like he was trying to get rid of me.

I gulped. "Whatever," I muttered. I headed to the kitchen counters and picked up my keys from a small slot attached to the wall. I headed out the door without another word.

It took about thirty minutes to drive into town, the wind whistling through my curly locks of strawberry blonde hair and my music blasting through the electric sizzled air. (Not literally, I wasn't going to cast an electricity spell for no reason…)

My hands gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly and my foot pressed down on the gas pedal a little too much. About halfway there, I was pulled over for a speeding violation. Great, just great, I thought as the police officer informed me of my mishap, gave me a fine of $200, and walked back to his patrol car.

After another fifteen or so minutes, I came into the small town of Bucklam, and pulled into a McDonald's drive-through. I ordered an egg mcmuffin and a chocolate chip frappe before parking my car at a local playground across the street.

I sat down on a small wooden bench and ate in silence. There were only a few little kids hanging there with their parents, and I found myself lost in the somewhat peaceful scenery.

Just a little bit away, there was a mulch trail, leading off into an isolated patch of forest. I gazed at the trail longingly. It made me think of Donald, and our walk. The walk where he kissed me for the first time, after telling me he wanted me on his pirate ship with him.

I shook the thoughts out of my head and ate the last bits of my sandwich and sipped at my frappe. I wondered briefly when he would get my letter. Probably tomorrow, I told myself. For now, I would have to just wait and see. I was right about one thing though….A long summer awaited, but now I wasn't sure if I wanted to go through it all the way things were.


	4. Chapter 4- Family Scandal?

**A/N: Wow. Reading over this, Gardenia reminded me of Professor Grabiner in more than one way. xD I actually played through his path too, but decided to do a Donald story instead since a lot of people focus on OC/Grabiner plotlines. I've actually kind of been developing my OC's personality more as I write this, and apparently, she can have a bit of a temper. Anyway, I haven't gotten any reviews yet, but I hope that changes. Reviews keep me going! They give me inspiration to actually go somewhere with this! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy.**

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Chapter Four- Family Scandal?

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I returned home with apprehension boiling in the pit of my stomach. I hadn't thought much of it earlier, but I knew my parents would be _pissed _at me. I groaned as I took the keys out of the ignition after putting my car in park, and banged my forehead dramatically against the steering wheel. If only I hadn't been speeding! Ugh! I was so stupid!

` With a sigh, I opened up my door and stepped outside. I stood back and looked at my car. I would have to wash it again. I glanced around the garage. Anything to delay seeing my parents would be a blessing at that point.

I quickly located my special soap (I never let my parents touch it) and some sponges. I filled a bucket with the soap and water, and used a hose to rinse off the exterior of the car first. Obviously, I had put the hood up- I wasn't stupid.

After thoroughly rinsing down my prized possession, I scrubbed and scrubbed the whole thing for about half an hour. By the time I was appropriately finished, my arms were aching and there was soap and water on my shirt. Sighing, I wiped my forehead with back of my hand and picked up the hose, spraying my car down until it was absolutely sparkling. I smiled at my hard work. The pearly white exterior glistened like a jewel, even in the darkness of my garage. It looked almost the same as it did when I first got it. It had been a present for my sixteenth birthday, only a few months before I went away to Iris Academy.

Needless to say, I had still kept it in prime condition since. I had wanted that exact same model and color since I was thirteen. Now, I wasn't exactly a car-nut or anything, but I appreciated the classic cars more than the modern ones.

Desperately, I searched for something else that needed to be done down in the garage. My brief hopes wilted away when I realized there was nothing. Although, while I was inspecting my car for any noticeable blemishes, I froze. There was something- just underneath the handle of my car's left-side door.

If I was a wild animal I would have snarled. I didn't know how I didn't notice it before, but a long discolored streak ran below the handle and extended about five inches away from it.

I cringed in horror at the nasty scratch. Though others may have thought it wasn't a big deal, this was my baby! (Okay, maybe I was just a little bit of a car-nut) I clenched my fists. I glared at the doorway leading into the house. I didn't care about awkwardness anymore. I needed to find out who had done this.

I stomped into the house and looked around the living room. Naturally, my parents were seated on the couch with Sam in between them. I glared daggers at them and all I managed to steam out of my mouth were the words, "Scratch. My. Car," between furiously gritted teeth.

I was absolutely seething. I saw Sam tense up a little and shyly look away. _"You!"_ I growled, over to the couch in a flash and pulling the boy up by the collar. "It was you, wasn't it?!" His sheepish look turned into a coy smirk and it made me want to punch him in the face. However, I decided it would be best to retain some composure, so I slackened my grip and let him slink away, unharmed, running a hand indignantly through his blonde curls. What a 'pretty boy.'

I gulped.

Finally, one of my parents decided to speak up. "Well, Gardenia, you see, Sam was really curious about your car…and he wanted to go hang out with his new friends…so, we let him take it out…"

I deeply inhaled and exhaled. Calm down, Nia, calm down. "Okay," I breathed, "And you thought this was okay _how?"_

My Dad piped up, "Gardenia Lilith Absynthia, don't you take on that tone with us, young lady!" Sam's sly smirk seemed to grow even slyer, if that was even possible. I sent an icy stare his way, but he didn't even flinch. Apparently, he wasn't quite as timid as he seemed. Of course, my parents were oblivious to this. "Sam is your new brother, and you are to treat him with courtesy and respect. After all, don't forget who bought you that car. I can take it away just as easily and give it to him! When you're away at school, you won't need it anyway."

My blood was absolutely boiling and curdling like milk and rotten eggs and bubbling up in my veins. I didn't want to lose my cool, but at this point, I was nearly exploding. So…that was impossible to accomplish.

I bit my lip. "But that is _my car!_" I shouted, "And the little brat _scratched it up!"_ Okay, yeah, so much for composure. But still, the punk deserved it. That stupid grin grew on his face. Oh, how badly I longed to slam my fist into his mouth and force his obnoxious teeth down his petulant throat.

"And now I've got a speeding ticket!" This had absolutely nothing to do with the topic, but I figured it was best to throw it out there while they were distracted.

"I've got a job, now," Sam said, and we all turned towards him. He had so far said hardly anything to me, so I was just a little bit shocked. Atleast, enough to keep my mouth shut for the moment. "I can give you the money you need for the ticket….as a…peace effort? An olive branch?"

I sneered at him. "Fine, then," I spat, "Consider yourself $200 in debt." I was just about to whirl around and stalk away, when my Mom said something I could not comprehend.

"Heliagurbishnifftinsol," she began cautiously. At least, that's what it sounded like. I didn't really hear her though.

"What?"

My Dad finished for her, sounding a bit repulsed and snarky, "Just because you were turned down, doesn't mean you need to blow this whole thing out of proportion. You were out of step in your propositions to your brother, and just because it didn't go your way, doesn't mean you need to act like a bitch." I was completely shocked by this announcement, and my jaw went completely slack.

I felt tears sting in the corners of my eyes. "WHAT?!"

He fiddled nervously with his thumbs and Sam spoke up. "You know," he said, "When you tried pushing yourself on me, and I rejected your attempts."

Okay, this whole thing was just turning preposterous! What were they talking about?! I asked them exactly that.

"Honey, we know," my Mother said, her voice somewhat softer than my Dad's. "Please don't make this any more difficult trying to deny it happened."

Wait a minute…were they suggesting that I…tried to have _sex _with _Sam?! _So _this _was why they've been acting so strangely around me. That little_ prick_ has been feeding them lies! I hadn't even spoken to him! Not since they first tried to introduce me to him.

I curled my hands into fists and, not knowing what to say, swept out of the room, feeling like a certain Mr. Grabiner- minus the cape.

I hurried up the stairs and into my bedroom, casting a spell on the door to lock it, and fell into my bed, silent tears falling from my eyes.

Life was about to get a heck of a lot more complicated.


	5. Chapter 5- Nuisance

Chapter Five- nuisance

About two more weeks passed by with not much significance after that occurance. Donald and I continued to exchange letters, and my parents continued to ignore me. It was almost like that little event had never happened….except for the fact that my parents seemed to almost…._dislike _me now. I wondered on occasion, in all the time I spent alone, what kinds of hateful lies my adoptive brother had been spreading about me…

One Saturday afternoon, I emerged from my bedroom and walked down the stairway to the kitchen to make myself some lunch. I found Sam leaning against a counter nonchalantly, a small smirk plastered on his features. In a weird way, it made me think of Donald. He used to make that exact same pose, but more exaggerated so I could tell it was in a joking manner. But when he did it, it was cute. I blushed briefly at the thought. When this 'brother' of mine did it, it made me extremely angry to share the same air and living space with him.

"Mom and Dad went out for the day," he told me, pushing himself upright and taking a few steps towards me as I rummaged in the refrigerator for something to eat. In a few moments, he was right behind me, and I felt something loose poking the small of my back very softly.

I whipped around to snap something rudely at him, only to see him holding out two 100 dollar bills towards me. I gaped for a second, then closed my mouth and snatched the money from him. "About time," I mumbled, stuffing the paper into the pocket of my jeans and turning back around to continue searching.

I pulled out a package of bagels and some cream cheese before laying it on the counter beside me and closing up the fridge door. When I moved to the counter to take out a bagel, Sam walked over so he was leaning his back against it, and stared at me, unmoving.

I glared at him. "Do you mind?" I huffed. "You may live here now, but you're not my brother. And if you think you can just get away with telling my parents lies like that and-"annoyingly enough, he cut me off by pressing his finger to my lips and making a "shhh" sound.

I shoved his hand away and did the same to him. I stuffed both halves of my bagel into the toaster oven and jammed in the appropriate settings to toast them. Much to my disappointment, he still didn't leave. "Don't you have better things to do!?"

He chuckled; a ridiculous, annoying sound. I grimaced. "You see, _sister,"_ he said, "Your parents are not _your_ parents anymore. Now they are mine, and I will continue to tell them things, and feed them little certainties and eventually, they will come to completely loathe you." He had begun to move slowly towards me, and by now, he was whispering directly into my ear. I shivered. "You see, this is what you get for being rude to me on your first day back. Now…..you will simply be a nuisance, and I will be your parents' new favorite. You just wait and see."

I shoved him away from me. I tried to hide the fear in my eyes but it was too late. "Woah," I choked out, "You're taking this too far, dude." I knew my voice sounded small and weak, and I was trying to be strong, but I really wished Donald was there right then. Or Virginia. Or Ellen. Or _anyone!_

I backed away from him, and just then the toaster dinged. I hurriedly took out the bagel, and used a knife to lather each side in cream cheese as quickly as I could. But just as I set the food down on a paper plate, he took one half, bit into it, and winked before walking away.

I was left standing there, blinking in befuddlement.

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**A/N: I know this is a very short chapter. I planned to make it longer, but I decided this was the best place to end it off. I thought if I continued after this point then it would seem a little run-onish****. Well, please review, as I would greatly appreciate it. It keeps me going, as I've said before. Thank you, lovies! 3**


	6. Chapter 6- Beach House

**A/N: Please review guys! It would really mean a lot to me if you did! x_x**

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Chapter Six- beach

_Dear Gardenia,_

_ I'm sorry things have been like that for you at home. I've been really bored here too. If I were there, I would punch this new brother of yours in the face. I've told you I'll totally protect you, right? Well, I still will. Anyway, send me a letter when you get to the beach. Only one more month until school starts back up again, and then we're sophomores! Oh, and keep a look out for another letter too. Virginia plans to invite you over for the last week of summer. I'll see you then. I can't wait. ;)_

_ Sincerely,  
Donald_

I held the parchment closely to my chest and smiled sadly. He was right. Just one more month and all this would be over. Lately my parents had been avoiding me like the plague. Sam had been acting creepier since, and he was seeming to get worse and worse.

Every time I was around him, he made suggestive remarks or brushed up against me. My best guess is he just wanted to make me uncomfortable. Well, it was working.

He was right. My parents _did_ hate me. And it affected me more than I would have liked to believe. I stared outside from my window at the nighttime sky. The cool air brushed lightly against my cheeks and the scents of nature drifted up into my nose. In any other circumstance this would have been a pleasant night. But now….not so much.

I set Donald's letter down on my end table and closed up my window before walking over to my mirror, brush in hand. I ran it through my curly locks of strawberry blonde hair, which had grown a couple of inches since school had ended and now reached just below my shoulder blades. I ran my fingers through the soft strands, my mind wandering elsewhere. My thoughts were completely unfocused; my mind absent.

I was going to the beach with my family the next day….we would leave early in the morning. However, I did not expect it to be a particularly enjoyable trip. Atleast I had something to look forward to. In three weeks, I would see all three of my best friends again.

I sighed, and set my brush back down, walking over to my bed. I picked up the prom picture of me and Donald and smiled at it before setting it back down next to my newly framed yearbook page.

I climbed under the covers of my bed and quickly fell asleep.

In the morning everything was a rush. I decided to drive my own car down to the beach house, as I definitely wasn't going to sit with Sam the whole way there. My parents didn't care. Therefore, I was able to leave an hour earlier than them, as I had already packed the night before, and they were still bustling around the house getting last minute chores done.

I hopped into my Mercedes Benz Cabriolet, luggage in tow, and began the three hour trip there. I stopped by a few rest stops on the way there to use the bath room and eat, but other than that, it was a straight drive to the coast. Finally, at approximately 12 p.m., I arrived at my destination and headed to my room. The house was a decent size, and it held two bedrooms and a guest bedroom. Well, then again, I supposed it wasn't technically a 'guest' bedroom anymore. It was Sam's.

There was also a kitchen and a small living room. I dropped my luggage on the ground and began unpacking. Finally, I was done, and left alone for who knew how long. I wandered over to the kitchen and sat myself down on one of the stools in front of the counter, chocolate bar in hand. Staring blankly at the wall sucked pretty badly, so I threw away my garbage and left to go outside.

Immediately, my senses were smacked with the sights and smells of the beautiful blue-green ocean. The sound of its majestic waves resonated in my ear drums, relaxing my stressed mind. I closed my green eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out a few moments after.

I decided to take a walk along the sandy shore. I kicked off my sandals and felt the warm sand beneath my feet. I stared off across the vast body of water towards the bright horizon. It was almost like a metaphor. Maybe it is, I thought fondly. Right then my life was stuck in a vast, dark depth with no hint of escape or resolution. But there, looming in the too distant future, was a gleam…a sliver, a chance…a possibility. School would be starting, and I could finally go back to my real home, and be with Donald.

Donald. The name of the person I missed the most. Writing letters back and forth just wasn't the same. There wasn't much to talk about, besides events, which neither of us had much of, and discussions involving magic. Both of us had been keeping up with our studies, and helping each other out on certain topics. He is certainly a very clever student- I admired the way he was able to quickly grasp many spells and display a keen understanding of their subsequent intricacies.

Of course, his humor was also well appreciated, especially since there wasn't much to laugh about lately.

For a couple of hours, I wandered aimlessly along the seemingly endless shoreline, contemplating the past, present, and future. When I thought about it, I could still feel the ghost of his touch, his lips….

Finally, I decided it was appropriate to go back to the beach house. By the time I reached it, the sun was setting on the actual horizon, and I hoped it wouldn't do the same for my metaphorical one. At least, if it did, I hoped it would be as beautiful.

My parents and Sam were playing around in the water. I chose a shady palm tree to sit under as I gazed at the beautiful sunset. Playful colors of orange and brilliant splashes of pink overlapped with whimsical feathery clouds and streaks of effervescent purple. It was gorgeous, but I couldn't fully appreciate it under the given circumstances.

I headed back inside well before they did, and sat down at my desk to begin writing,

_Dear Donald,_

_ I arrived at my family's beach house today. I haven't gone swimming yet, but there is plenty of time for that; too much time, in my opinion. I opted instead for a very long walk along the beach. Pretty much most of what I did consisted of thinking. I won't be fool enough to not admit that most of what I have been thinking has consisted of thoughts of you. I miss you more than I can even understand. You were more than my date to the May Day Ball or even my first kiss (yes, you were my first ;)). You are my best friend. I wish this horrible summer would go by faster so I could see you again. I really hate Sam….you should see how creepy he acts. That guy has some serious issues. One thing is for sure, I won't be going home for the holidays anymore. I think I'll just do what Ellen did, and have my parents forget about me. At least I can leave Sam behind too. _

_ Enough about me. What have you been up to? Have you had a fun summer so far? Are you and William getting along better? Pulled any new pranks? Haha, well, it won't be too long until we see each other again. Then again, any amount of time is too long. Tell Ellen and Virginia I said hello, and I miss them!_

_ With hugs and care,_

_ Gardenia_

_ P.S. Are you sure you don't want any more siblings? Because you can have mine! _

I slipped my letter into an envelope and sealed it with magic before sending it on its way. I watched it float away along the breeze, wondering if my trip brought me closer or further away from Virginia's house. I hoped for the former.


	7. Chapter 7- Corrupt

**A/N: I'll be posting a new chapter every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.**

* * *

Chapter Seven- Corrupt

*Switching to 3rd person POV*

The first week at the family beach house went by with little occurrence. Gardenia had spent most of her time lazing around on the beach, brushing up on her studies, locked up in her room practicing some new spells, and swimming.

On the second morning of the second week, Gardenia found herself lounging on her bed at 9 o'clock in the morning, arm lain tiredly across her forehead, her blankets tossed haphazardly over her body.

She stared through the window to her left, which allowed in streaming golden buffets of light to press in through the glass and warm up her skin. _I wonder if I could get a tan just lying here all day, _she mused. Her strawberry blonde curls spread around her head in a soft, glowing halo. Her half-lidded green eyes sparkled in the daylight sidling in through her window.

Finally, after about ten minutes of lying in bed, she propped herself up on her elbows and yawned, her gaze flitting about the room. She reached instinctively for her end table, pulling the envelope from Virginia towards her. She had just received it last night; in the middle of the night that is. She had been awoken to a scraping sound on her window. The letter had been enchanted to ram itself obtrusively against the glass pane if it was not immediately retrieved.

She carefully unpeeled the flap and slid the paper out from its encasement. She unfurled it and began to read the message scraggily written down.

_**Dear Gardenia, **_

_** It's me, your favorite person! I bet you missed me all summer. Alright, okay, I miss you too, you goof. I heard you and Donald have been writing back and forth. You should see him here! He's been skulking around the place like he's seen a ghost. Anyway, guess what? You're coming over for the last week of summer! I bet Donald already told you though, that little brat. Well, I don't know if you wanna drive over or if you need to be picked up, so write me back and let me know if you can come. You'll have to tell me all about your summer. Alright, this isn't really my thing, so goodbye, loser. Seeya here.**_

She smiled. The letter was from Virginia, that was for sure. Of course, the dummy had forgotten to put a signature. If she didn't know who it was already, she would be confused. However, Virginia had a very specific tone you couldn't easily forget. She folded up the parchment and tucked it back inside of the envelope before setting it back down on her end table and stretching out her tired limbs.

She stood up, her bare feet hitting the hickory wood flooring, and quietly padded over to her dresser. She opened up one of the drawers, and pulled out a simple orange tank top and soft black sweat pants.

After getting dressed, she headed downstairs and into the kitchen. Nobody was awake yet, fortunately. At least, that's what she thought. She poured herself a bowl of cereal, a glass of orange juice, and sat down for breakfast.

About midway through eating, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and looked up to see Sam walking groggily through the kitchen. She ate silently and hoped he hadn't noticed her. However, if he hadn't already, he did then, as he walked over to the counter with a cinnamon bun on a paper plate.

He sat down beside her and said nothing. That is, until she finished eating. She was about to stand up and leave when he grabbed her arm roughly and held her in place on her seat. "Don't move," he said gruffly, taking the last few bites of his food.

Finally, he finished his food, and shoved the paper plate into her hands. She looked at him incredulously. "Throw your own garbage away," she said to him indignantly. She tried to stand up again, and he let her. But as soon as she did, he stood up too, and shoved her with all his force.

Gardenia fell backwards against the counter, stumbled over a stool, and involuntarily tumbled over on the tiled kitchen floor. Her ears rang and her whole head throbbed. She tried to pick herself up, only to meet a searing pain in her left arm. Grimacing, she clutched it tightly and curled up into herself.

"You will listen to me," Sam whispered harshly. Along with Gardenia, the ceramic bowl in her hands had slipped through the air and shattered on the floor in a hundred different pieces. He crouched beside her crumpled form, and she looked up at him through foggy vision, tear-stained eyes. He tipped her chin up with his finger and smirked, "You're too cute for disobedience," he added, before roughly flicking her face aside with his fingertip and pulling away his hand. He stood up, offering her his hand to take.

She glared at him, and slowly but painfully, positioned herself into a seated position. Her whole body burned like fire, and her bones seemed to creak like an old rattling chain. Fresh tears arose in her emerald orbs, surfacing, rising and falling like an ocean tide over her flushed cheeks. Her pink lips trembled and she bit them to try and stay still. He narrowed his eyes at her and growled, "Take my _hand_, girl."

Suddenly a flash of recognition, a momentary de-ja-vu, spurred her brain and she blinked in surprise. She could faintly recall a similar situation last year…at the beginning of freshman initiation…the one she had skipped. Yes, she could recall it then. Damien, he had chosen her as his freshman, He had offered his hand and struck her with magic when she refused. Of course, she had then stormed out of the gym, refusing to take part in such a ludicrous event.

For a moment, Sam's eyes seemed to flash purple. Gardenia shook her head; she must have just imagined it. There was no way this guy had anything to do with Damien, the demon-boy she had only seen once in her life.

She painstakingly stood up, pushing his hand away when he insistently tried to help her. He sneered at her before softly stroking the soft skin of her face, clucking nonchalantly. "Oh dear, how terribly unfortunate that such a lovely face should be bruised in such a horrible way. The injured look does not do well for you, darling."

Gardenia shivered at his touch, and averted her gaze to the floor. For once, she couldn't muster any fight inside. He chuckled. "How endearing," he snickered. "It seems I have rendered you speechless." She winced when he pressed his finger into the blossoming bruise already developing above her jaw.

Suddenly, a flicker of hope stemmed in her stomach when Gardenia's parents came down the hallway. They both stopped and gaped at the predicament in front of them. Her father turned to Sam, shock evident on his features. "Sam," he said slowly, "What happened here."

Sam backed away from her and immediately adopted a look of feigned nonchalance combined with innocence. "Oh, Dad, good morning." He turned around to face her father. She felt a strange force in the room, a weird tingling in the air, as Sam made eye contact with her parents, and they became immediately calm. Her suspicions grew as he continued his explanation, "Nia here kept trying to start a fight with me….you know, the usual. I, uhm, I wanted to be nice, and tried to calm her down, but she was going crazy, and she tripped. Knocked over the bowl, tried to blame it on me…" He let out a sigh and looked down at the floor sheepishly.

Her blood boiled in anger and she gritted her teeth. Her parents looked to her, their faces stern. "We'll handle this when we get home." _They didn't even seem to notice my bruises! _Gardenia looked down at her arm, and suddenly her heart stopped. The large green welt she had seen just a few moments earlier completely disappeared.

Gingerly, she touched a hand to her cheek. Nothing. What had just happened. She stared warily over at Sam, who was now casually conversing with her parents. There was only one explanation for this. Magic..But…_how?_

_Could this strange boy possibly know about __**magic?**_ She wondered. _No way…it's not possible.._

With a sigh, Gardenia walked back to her bedroom and sat by the window in contemplation. Could it be true? She shook her head. _No. How could it?_

Her bedroom door creaked open and shut. _I thought I sealed that…_she looked over to see none other than Sam approaching her bed. _Of course._

"What do you want," she breathed, her voice quivering. She could already feel the oncoming tears. She needed to leave. Now. She needed to be gone, and safe.

She needed Donald.

Sam sat next to her on the bed, and reached for her hand, clasping it in his own. "Hello, beautiful," he purred, his voice silky, as if nothing had ever happened- as if he had never hurt her.

Before she registered what was happening, he brought his long, slender fingers up to probe her neck, running smoothly along her skin. She trembled in fear- she didn't know what to do without provoking him.

He leaned his face close to her and brought it to her ear. "You don't want to try me, little princess." His hot breath billowed against her skin and she felt his hands wrap themselves around her thin body, pulling her flush against his own. "Soon you'll be mine and mine alone, and no one can stop that."

And just like that, he was gone, the ghost of his hands and his breath leaving haunted whispered trails in his wake. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and cried silently for the second time that day. Sad green eyes stared back at her from the mirror across the small room.

A sad, aching heart ate away at her from the depths of her soul, and suddenly, she heard his voice.


	8. Chapter 8- Hysteria

Chapter Eight- Hysteria

_Dear Virginia,_

_ Of course I'm going to your house. Things haven't been going too great here on my end, but I'll elaborate more when I get there. I'll drive to your house; I'll be able to use magic to find my way. I'll keep this short, since I'm not sure what to say and my mind is on a lot of other stuff. I'll see you then._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Gardenia _

Sighing, she tapped the bottom of her pen to her chin and stared off into space. It had only been a few minutes since her brief conversation with Donald. He had contacted her through farspeak, but because of the distance, they weren't able to keep it up longer than about five minutes. She recalled the communication in her head.

She had felt a semi-familiar probing in the back of her mind. She recognized it from the final exam, when her, Ellen, and Virginia connected their minds through farspeak to be able to split up and search.

She opened her mind up to the connection, and with a sudden surge of warmth, heard Donald's unmistakable voice echoing through her brain.

_Hey, Nia, are you there? Can you hear me in there?_

Gardenia smiled. Nia had been his nickname for her. He had come up with it during their freshman year, and it sort of stuck. She liked it.

_Yeah, I can hear you, you goofball,_ she thought.

_Oh good, great. I miss you. It's pretty sucky around here, but I was worried about you. I couldn't stop thinking about what you wrote to me about that guy. You'd tell me if he did anything, right? Like…hurt you?_

She gulped. It was a bit harder to lie through your mind. However, she didn't want to say anything through a farspeak connection- she would rather let him know face-to-face.

_Yes, of course, _she assured him. _Don't worry, I'm alright. _This wasn't completely untrue. He did heal her wounds...so, technically speaking, she wasn't really physically hurt anymore._ Sam is a weirdo, that's for sure….Actually, I know it's crazy, but I actually kinda think he might be using magic. He seems like he's using some sort of mind control, almost…I realized it today, it was so weird. He like, convinced my parents it was all my fault just by __**looking **__at them. I don't know._

There was a few moments of silence before Donald responded. _No, it's not crazy. He could be a magic user…You said he was adopted?_

_ Yeah._

_ Well, sometimes when a kid from a magical family gets put into the adoption system, the authorities can lose track of them and they'll end up being sent to a non-magical family. Or sometimes if that family has a magical kid, it will be considered acceptable. _

_ But wouldn't we have seen him at school at some point?_

He seemed to ponder this some more. _Not necessarily. He could have been a transfer, or he might have even gotten expelled, and the memory wipe didn't work. Maybe if you're sneaky about it, you can try using some white magic, like empathy, or some other way to detect magic. Keep a close eye on him. If he seems like he might be using magic, try using detect charm or some kind of white magic to tell if he is or not._

_ Right,_ she thought to him, _I should have thought of that. Well, thanks Donald. I'll try. I honestly can't wait to leave this place though. I can't say I enjoy being hated._

_ Aww…Nia, don't be sad. I would hug you if I could, but I think there's a bit of a limit to farspeak communications and I'd feel like an idiot trying to hug the air. Or worse, a tree._

Nia snickered. Somehow, that seemed to be conveyed through their conversation, because she heard him in her mind, saying, _I'm glad I could hear you laugh. That's one sound I've really missed over the break. _

She blushed at this remark. _I've missed you in general. I wish time would go by faster. If only I knew some sort of magic for that._

He chuckled._ I think anything to speed up time would definitely get you in trouble with the school. Anyway, as much as I wish I could talk to you for hours, I can tell your energy is a bit worn out and we won't be able to hold this connection up much longer. I miss you, Nia. Bye. _

_ Bye… _she didn't realize she whispered it out loud too. She felt the unmistakable snap in the back of her head, the break of mental connection between them.

Now, as she sat at her desk, pen in hand, letter to Virginia in front of her on the flat wooden surface, she contemplated on what to do. But before she could really decide, her bedroom door opened, and he walked in.

Immediately, Gardenia felt her whole body tense up and she looked over at Sam as he sauntered over. She snatched up her letter before he could get a good look at it, and folded it up neatly before laying it on top of an empty envelope. She stood purposely in between Sam and the desk. "Can I help you?" She asked him tersely.

He chuckled darkly. "You can help me anytime, darling," he said, his voice low and husky. She cringed. He reached a hand forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and she swatted it away, "Now, now, you know what happens when you try and disobey me. Surely you don't want….reinforcements…of that knowledge."

She looked away. He was right. She certainly wasn't going to say that though. "What do you want from me?" She asked, tears pricking her eyes.

He laughed menacingly but didn't give her an answer.

That was it. She finally snapped- fell off the cliff on the edge of the brink of hysteria.

"You already have my family, my home, my life! What more could you want from me?! What did I ever do to you to make you act like this towards me?!" Suddenly, she was screaming and crying in his face, even though the back of her head was screaming at _her,_ because she knew she was treading into dangerous territory.

"Who _are_ you?!" she jammed a finger into his chest. "Where did you come from? Why are you here? Why won't you leave me alone?"

She was bridging into total hysterics, and all he did was stand there and smirk at her. She hated that smirk so much. "Why?! I don't even know you! Why? Why…" Her rush of adrenaline was fading fast and being quickly replaced by spilling tears. She had cried far too much lately for her liking.

He raised his palm, and when she thought for sure he was about to hit her, he roughly grabbed her wrist, and a strange warm, calming sensation flowed through her body….soothing her tense nerves.

She felt her anger subsiding and a strange point of focus lingered in her body. She was starting to feel a little fuzzy and off-balance when she remembered what Donald had told her…

She pulled herself back into reality and inwardly cast a charm to detect magic in the area. Just as she was beginning to feel a slight pull, a tweak in the back of her mind in response to her spell, he pulled his grip away from her, and the feeling was gone.

"_You _little _bitch," _he snarled, glaring eyes of tarnished cold steel into her soul. "You meddling little bitch!" She ducked just in time as his fist flew towards her, and slammed her full weight into his torso, causing him to teeter off balance just long enough for her to shove her foot into his knee and kick him to the ground. Her veins were on fire with a new sort of electricity and he nerves exploded with pre-released adrenaline.

She whirled around and lunged towards her window, unfastening the latch and thrusting it open as quickly as she could. She looked down, calculating the drop inwardly. Her stomach dropped as she contemplated the risks of taking a leap from the second floor of her parents' beach home.

She figured she could always heal herself, but she didn't really want to take any more chances of being discovered and having her magic wiped away completely.

Before she could make up her mind, Sam grabbed her around the waist, his muscled arms circling around her tiny frame and dragging her backwards off the bed.

He pulled her onto the floor with him and held her in a tight choke-hold on his lap. She scrabbled at his arms helplessly with her fingers, her throat constricting and burning with the ever-tightening grip he had on her.

"Now, listen here," he whispered dangerously into her ear, "You will do as I say, and you will _not _contradict me. I know what you were up to back there, and don't you think you'll get away with it."

She felt the edges of her vision fray and her eyelids began to droop as she coughed and choked, his raw strength strangling the life from her trembling body.

"Now, I'll let go, if you promise to be a good girl." He smirked at her struggling against him. "Are you gonna be a good girl?"

She seemed to lose life as her body stilled, no longer thrashing and flailing about, and her eyes came close to shutting. Her fingers lay limp and lifeless over his arms, which loosened ever-so-slightly on her neck. She did the best she could to manage a nearly imperceptible nod.

This seemed to satisfy him, considering he let go. She immediately scrambled upright, uselessly clutching at her throat and gasping for air. He watched her silently as she heaved and gagged, her body hunched over her knees and her palms on the cold, hard floor.

"I'll leave you to it," he said. All she heard after that was him standing, brushing off his jeans, and slamming the door closed behind him.

Fresh, hot tears fell onto the floor as she remained, shaking, on her hands and knees, not knowing what to say or think.

Before she fully registered what had just happened, she curled up in a ball on the ground and cried herself to sleep.


End file.
